A GARDEN party at a mental health unit in Worcester raised £400 to help patients enjoy the open air.

The event at the Elgar Unit in Newtown Hospital on Wednesday, July 9 included cake stalls, a raffle and a name the bear competition and raised cash to buy garden furniture for the occupational therapy department.

Adult inpatient occupational therapy team leader at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust – which runs the unit – Prisca Cocker said she was “delighted” by the amount that had been raised.

“This money will definitely make a difference for our patients with mental health issues, for whom spending time in the garden can have a very positive impact,” she said.

The inpatient unit runs two gardening groups a week, allowing patients to cultivate seeds, plant flowers and grow vegetables as part of their treatment.